Kasher has a very close relationship with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. They grew up in Nebraska together, went to the same Catholic high school, Creighton Prep. It is rumored that Tim taught Oberst to play guitar. In the Bright Eyes song, "Nothing Gets Crossed Out" Oberst sings, "yeah Tim I heard your album and it's better than good. When you get off tour I think we should hang and black out together." (referring to the album Black Out by The Good Life, released in 2002 on Saddle Creek Records.) Furthermore, Oberst later sang backup on the song "Staying Alive," from Cursive's 2003 effort The Ugly Organ.
Kasher temporarily disbanded Cursive after the departure of guitarist Steve Pedersen (who left to pursue a law degree at Duke University. He now leads the Saddle Creek band Criteria). He married and moved to Portland, Oregon. According to interviews, Kasher went through a bitter divorce in 2000, which led to the regrouping of Cursive, as well as providing the inspiration for The Good Life album Black Out, and Cursive's Domestica.
The Good Life was originally planned to be a solo project. Kasher wanted to experiment with different types of lyrics and melodies. He released Novena on a Nocturn on Better Looking Records. He then recruited Ryan Fox, Roger Lewis and Stephanie Drootin into the band and released Black Out, Lovers Need Lawyers EP and Album of the Year.
Kasher created a another record with Cursive which was released in August 2006, entitled Happy Hollow. In 2009, Cursive released their latest effort, 'Mama, I'm Swollen'. The Good Life, despite a near breakup in late 2005, returned to the studio to release the album, 'Help Wanted Nights' in September 2007.
Under his own name, Tim Kasher recorded a song called "Stranger Than Strangers" which was released on a compilation CD called "My Favorite Songwriters." He released the solo album 'The Game of Monogamy' in 2010, and a follow-up disc of songs from that session called 'Bigamy', in 2011.
A Bluer Sea
Tim Kasher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm at misery patrolled
Sadomasochist
Sadomonogamist
When you were young, you were so romantic
You married quick to prove you knew what love is
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
It's a shame I cannot decide
Which way to ruin my life
It's assured whichever I'd choose
I'd be doomed to despise
You became a man, you didn't stand a chance
You assumed love was just a blind man's hang-up
Without an anchor, I am free
Without an anchor, I do as I please
Your sudden drift amongst your stormy sea
Of women old and new and used and lonely
Without an anchor, I'm a wreck
Without an anchor, I regress
And all these women see your damaged good
Before they flee, who'll take you seriously
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
Adrift
I'm a middle-aged cliché
Found out I'm satisfied
Too small to appreciate
When life is merely all right
Those women you once loved have open arms
That you abruptly shoved aside for the next one
Those women you once loved have open arms
That you abruptly shoved aside for the next one
Those women you once loved have open arms
That you abruptly shoved aside for the next one
Without an anchor, I am free
Without an anchor, I do as I please
Without an anchor, I'm a wreck
Without an anchor, I regress
The lyrics to Tim Kasher's song "A Bluer Sea" seem to be addressing the idea of being adrift in life, without an anchor to hold onto. The first few lines include the repetition of "misery," giving a sense of hopelessness and despair. The lines "Sadomasochist/Sadomonogamist" could be interpreted as being both the victim and perpetrator in relationships, or perhaps feeling trapped in a cycle of unhealthy behaviors.
The second stanza seems to be addressing the idea of youthful naivete when it comes to love and relationships. The line "You married quick to prove you knew what love is" suggests a hasty decision made in order to prove something to oneself or others. The repetition of "Adrift" throughout the song further emphasizes the idea of feeling lost in life.
The third stanza delves deeper into the cycle of relationships, with the line "And all these women see your damaged good" suggesting a pattern of mistreatment or abandonment of partners. The repetition of "Without an anchor, I am free/Without an anchor, I'm a wreck" highlights the idea that while it may seem liberating to be without responsibilities or commitments, it can also lead to chaos and destruction.
Overall, the song explores themes of loneliness, regret, and disillusionment with life.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm at misery alone
I am deeply unhappy, feeling a sense of mental and emotional pain all by myself.
I'm at misery patrolled
I am constantly visited by the horrible feeling of distress that tries to control me.
Sadomasochist
I take pleasure in experiencing emotional pain and being punished.
Sadomonogamist
I am addicted to the unhealthy relationship pattern where one person is dominant and the other is submissive.
It's a shame I cannot decide
I feel regretful because I cannot make a choice between two destructive paths that would ruin my life.
Which way to ruin my life
Both options that I am faced with will lead me down a path of self-destruction and misery.
It's assured whichever I'd choose
I am certain that no matter which option I choose, it will result in me hating myself and my life even more than I do now.
I'd be doomed to despise
I would be doomed to feeling intense hatred and disgust towards myself and my life.
You became a man, you didn't stand a chance
The societal pressures of becoming a man made you prone to unhealthy relationship patterns and you had no way of avoiding it.
You assumed love was just a blind man's hang-up
You believed that love and romantic relationships were just a foolish and irrational desire that people became obsessed with, without truly understanding what it meant.
Without an anchor, I am free
Without anything to hold me back or keep me grounded, I feel liberated and unrestricted in my actions and decisions.
Without an anchor, I do as I please
With no external force holding me down, I am able to act and behave according to only my own desires and wants.
Your sudden drift amongst your stormy sea
Your sudden and erratic movement amidst various women of different backgrounds and emotional states, is similar to a distressed ship moving through a turbulent ocean.
Of women old and new and used and lonely
Your interactions and relationships with women range from old to new, and from those who have already been with many men, to those who are alone and seeking love.
Without an anchor, I'm a wreck
Without anything to keep me steady and balanced, I am a train wreck emotionally and mentally.
And all these women see your damaged good
All these women recognize that you are emotionally damaged and have a tendency to harm yourself and others.
Before they flee, who'll take you seriously
Before these women leave you, who will truly understand and take your problems and feelings seriously?
I'm a middle-aged cliché
I am a stereotypical and overused concept of a middle-aged man struggling with emotionally complex situations.
Found out I'm satisfied
You have discovered that you are content and reasonably happy with your life, despite past and present emotional baggage that you carry with you.
Too small to appreciate
Your outlook on life has limited your appreciation for things that, despite being small or unimportant, could bring you happiness and peace of mind.
When life is merely all right
When life is just bearable and okay, you are unable to fully appreciate even those small things that could bring you joy.
Those women you once loved have open arms
Those women that you once loved and cared for still have love and affection for you and are willing to give you another chance.
That you abruptly shoved aside for the next one
However, you quickly moved on from them to the next woman without fully understanding or valuing their love and affection.
Adrift
Lost and lacking direction or purpose.
Contributed by Emma S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.